System and Method for Visually Browsing of Open Windows

1. A method for concurrently displaying a plurality of windows on a display screen, the method comprising the steps of: responsive to a first command, reconfiguring a plurality of windows to present a first three dimensional visual representation of windows overlapping in a visual stack, a first window of the plurality of windows in the visual stack has focus and is a top window of the Z-order, wherein the step of reconfiguring responsive to the first command includes transitioning a two dimensional visual representation of each of the plurality of windows to the first three dimensional representation using animation; and responsive to a second command, reconfiguring the plurality of windows to present a second three dimensional visual representation of windows overlapping in the visual stack, which includes a second window of the plurality of windows that is in focus and becomes the top window of the Z-order and a third window that is absent from the display screen when the first three dimensional visual representation is presented, the third window is an addition in the Z-order and is a visual part of the second three dimensional visual representation, wherein the step of reconfiguring responsive to the second command includes transitioning from the first three dimensional visual representation to the second three dimensional visual representation using animation.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first window moves to the bottom of the Z-order responsive to the second command.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining the Z-ordering of the windows prior to reconfiguring responsive to the first command.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the Z-order is based on file name.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the steps of reconfiguring each include resizing the windows presented based on the Z-ordering from smallest to largest.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first window is not in focus immediately prior to reconfiguring responsive to the first command and becomes in focus responsive to the first command.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the reconfiguring responsive to the first command further includes: determining that a number of open windows presented on the display screen when receiving the first command exceeds a threshold number; and presenting only the threshold number of windows in the first three dimensional visual representation.

8. A computer readable hardware storage medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon for performing a method of concurrently displaying a plurality of windows for a plurality of applications on a display screen when executed by a computer, the method comprising the steps of: determining that a number of open windows exceeds a threshold number; responsive to a command to initiate visual window browsing, determining a z-ordering of the number of open windows and presenting only the threshold number of open windows in a three dimensional visual stack representation on a display in accordance with the z-ordering, wherein the topmost window of the three dimensional visual stack is in focus and the open windows are arranged alphabetically by application title; listening for a command to preview contents of a specific window in three-dimensional visual stack or a command to browse to another window in the z-ordering; responsive to a command to preview contents of a specific window in the three-dimensional visual stack that is not the topmost window, revealing additional content of the specific window for a predetermined amount of time; and responsive to a command to browse to another window in the z-ordering, determining a next window in z-ordering to be in focus, moving the next window to top of three dimensional visual stack, setting focus to the next window, and moving the topmost window that was previously in focus to the bottom of the three dimensional visual stack.

9. The computer readable hardware storage medium according to claim 8 , wherein each window not presented on the display is lower in the Z-order than each of the windows presented on the display.

10. The computer readable hardware storage medium according to claim 8 , wherein the Z-order is based on file name.

11. The computer readable hardware storage medium according to claim 8 , wherein each window that is not the topmost window in Z-order is partially obscured by a portion of a window higher in Z-order.

12. The computer readable hardware storage medium according to claim 8 , wherein each window increases in size as the Z-order lowers.

13. A computing system comprising: a processor; and computer storage memory having computer-executable instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the processor, implement a method for concurrently displaying a plurality of windows on a display screen, the method comprising the steps of: (1) responsive to a first command, reconfiguring a plurality of windows to present a first three dimensional visual representation of windows overlapping in a visual stack, a first window of the plurality of windows in the visual stack has focus and is a top window of the Z-order, wherein the step of reconfiguring responsive to the first command includes transitioning a two dimensional visual representation of each of the plurality of windows to the first three dimensional representation using animation; and (2) responsive to a second command, reconfiguring the plurality of windows to present a second three dimensional visual representation of windows overlapping in the visual stack, which includes a second window of the plurality of windows that is in focus and becomes the top window of the Z-order and a third window that is absent from the display screen when the first three dimensional visual representation is presented, the third window is an addition in the Z-order and is a visual part of the second three dimensional visual representation, wherein the step of reconfiguring responsive to the second command includes transitioning from the first three dimensional visual representation to the second three dimensional visual representation using animation.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the first window moves to the bottom of the Z-order responsive to the second command.

15. The system of claim 13 , further comprising determining the Z-ordering of the windows prior to reconfiguring responsive to the first command.

16. The system of claim 13 , wherein the Z-order is based on file name.

17. The system of claim 13 , wherein the steps of reconfiguring each include resizing the windows presented based on the Z-ordering from smallest to largest.

18. The system of claim 13 , wherein the first window is not in focus immediately prior to reconfiguring responsive to the first command and becomes in focus responsive to the first command.

19. The system of claim 13 , wherein the reconfiguring responsive to the first command further includes: determining that a number of open windows presented on the display screen when receiving the first command exceeds a threshold number; and presenting only the threshold number of windows in the first three dimensional visual representation.